I was listening to God today for a couple of congregations that have asked me to preach in the near future and have asked me to share any “Word” I feel the Lord may give me. I found the same thing happening. There were common elements in what I believe the Lord gave to me, but there were unique elements for each congregation and situation too.

In my younger days in Charismatic religion, so many “prophets” came along telling us all that “The Church” was like the church in Sardis or the church in Laodicea. There was never any suggestion that the church could possible be regarded as being like the church in Philadelphia or the church in Smyrna! Nothing so positive. That general word struck me as false at worst, or very partial and incomplete at best. Usually it was given by people who seemed to be saying the whole “church” was in error except that part which they themselves represented. They along were the true thing, everyone else was lukewarm or dead, not sufficiently in relationship with the Lord, but just religious. They seemed to be able to judge the level of the whole church’s repentance and worship. There were many churches I knew of who were walking humbly before God, listening to His Word and doing His works. Jesus knows each church and their works.

If you are a leader, I do hope that you might listen and be able to hear what the Lord, who knows each church and its works, might be saying to your particular church.